The Hearing Impaired
by Warriors27
Summary: Swankit is just your average ThunderClan cat, wanting to be a warrior and help defend her Clan. Yet, she has one thing holding her back: she's hard of hearing. This means that she can hear a certain range but when it gets out of that range, she can't exactly pick it up correctly. Will this hold her back or will she overcome it and prove to her Clan that *summary inside*
1. Prologue

Swankit is just your average ThunderClan cat, wanting to be a warrior and help defend her Clan. Yet, she has one thing holding her back: she's hard of hearing. This means that she can hear a certain range but when it gets out of that range, she can't exactly pick it up correctly. Will this hold her back or will she overcome it and prove to her Clan that she can be just as useful as any cat or will she let it overtake her and succumb to her Clan's beliefs and prove them right? Find out!

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Prologue:

It was a clear and sunny day. Not a cloud in the sky as it hung in the air, heralding sunhigh. There was a gentle breeze that ruffled the branches that surrounded ThunderClan's camp. Greenleaf was nice and warm this year and the Clan was spending more and more time basking in the sun then training and patrolling.

A silver tabby she-kit was absentmindedly rolling a rock between her paws, not really paying attention to anything. She had mismatched eyes. Her right eye was blue and her left eye was amber, but it gave her a sort of an alluring look.

A light gray tabby was watching her daughter, amber eyes narrowed slightly. She turned to the speckled black and white tom beside her. "There's no way she's hard of hearing, Speckleleaf."

The tom glanced at her sympathetically. "I'm afraid she is, Stormheart. Swankit can only hear so much before she starts asking what is going on."

"Will she ever be a warrior?" The light gray tabby asked with the slightest tilt of her head. Her amber eyes were narrowed in concern as they flicked about the camp. "Nightwhisper adores Troutkit and Swankit and he expects them both to be warriors. Then...this comes up." She flicked her tail towards Swankit who was unaware of a dark gray, almost black, and white tabby with green eyes sneaking up on her.

Speckleleaf let out a small sigh, glancing at his flecked paws. "I'm afraid only time will tell. Until then, just be there for her. She has a long and difficult path ahead of her." His amber eyes darkened slightly. "May StarClan light her path."


	2. Chapter 1

**Grayshadow Warrior**: Yeah! She definitely has a difficult time ahead of her, that's for sure.

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A paw prodded her painfully in the ribs. "Wake up, Swankit!"

Swankit grumbled slightly and tucked her head underneath her paws as she tried to ignore Troutkit. She flattened her ears against her head as that dreadful sound began to ring in her ears again. It was kind of like rain falling but thrice as annoying. It didn't help that it muffled her brother's mew as well.

A weight landed on top of her and began to bat at her ears. Swankit got up with a huff, causing the weight to disappear. She whirled around to snap but the words died on her tongue. Troutkit was looking at her happily and he looked like he could hardly stay in one place. Swankit glanced outside and saw that it was late morning and she flattened her ears shamefully. She had promised her mother to be better at waking up earlier. Apparently, she had failed, yet again.

No wonder her brother was trying to wake her up.

"Thanks," Swankit mumbled out, her fury melting away to be replaced by shame.

"No problem!" Troutkit responded with a flick of his ear.

Swankit began to lick at her sleep ruffled fur, eyes drooping slightly at her still tired state. She got to her paws when she was finished and looked at Troutkit. "Any ideas for a game?"

Troutkit narrowed his eyes thoughtfully before speaking. "We can play…"

A big black tom came over and glared at Troutkit. "…down…ya?"

Swankit blinked not knowing or understanding what he was saying. She couldn't pick it up. "What?"

They ignored her and she saw Troutkit flattening his ears in shame. "What's going on?" she asked again, after she saw Troutkit saying something. The tom seemed satisfied with whatever Troutkit had said, for he walked away with a flicking tail.

Swankit padded over and nudged her brother with a paw. "Troutkit, what did he say? Who was he?"

Troutkit turned to her and opened his jaws but nothing came out, yet Swankit felt a breath of air against her face. He flicked his tail across her muzzle and over towards the side of the camp, then he bounded away. Swankit followed, wondering what was going on and why Troutkit was being so secretive.

Swankit sat down beside her brother and blinked in surprise when he brought his muzzle close to her ear. "That was Blackpelt and he wasn't happy that I was yelling."

"You weren't yelling!" Swankit meowed indignantly. "You were talking like you always do."

"I _was_ yelling, Swankit." Troutkit affirmed, pulling back and nodding his head slightly.

Swankit gazed at him with wide eyes. "Then why couldn't I hear Blackpelt?"

Troutkit put his muzzle close to her ear again. "He was speaking normally, Swankit."

"Why?"

"Ask mother," Troutkit responded before looking away. His shoulders sagged and his ears flattened against his head. His jaws moved but Swankit couldn't pick out since it seemed like he was mumbling or muttering something under his breath.

Swankit flattened her ears and got to her paws. She padded away, over to the fresh-kill pile and gazed at it curiously. She eventually pulled out a mouse and padded over to the side of the clearing where she sat down and curled her tail around her eyes. She ate the mouse quietly, her only companion the constant roaring and buzzing sounds in her ears.


	3. Chapter 2

**Grayshadow Warrior: **Yep! I like to have at least one chapter up soon after the prologue. And as for Stormheart, we'll find out!

**Willowbreeze424:** Thanks! And no, I didn't get the idea from Snowkit.

**Shadowdapple of ThunderClan: **I agree! Swankit is kinda based off myself~

**Thanks to all those that favorited and/or followed this story! **

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Swankit sat in the clearing, watching as the warriors and apprentices went about their duties. Her brother was currently bothering the elders and asked if Swankit would join, but she opted out of it. Besides she didn't feel up to listening to stories that she probably wouldn't be able to hear anyway.

She was still confused about Troutkit's words about asking her mother about the volume of cat voices. Yet, everyone seemed normal to her even though Troutkit claims that they were raised. Swankit let out a sigh and twitched an ear as a buzzing began in her ear. She flicked her ear again, an annoyed expression crossing her face as she tried to scare away the bee.

Yet the buzzing continued.

Swankit looked in the direction that it seemed to be coming from and saw nothing there. Letting out another sigh, she laid down and looked out over the clearing again. It was the strange noise thing in her ears again.

A paw prodding her made her look up, ears pricking in surprise. Speckleleaf was in front of her, his gaze unreadable as he opened his jaws. Swankit sat up and tilted her head slightly unable to hear what he was saying.

Speckleleaf seemed to realize this and spoke loud enough for Swankit to hear. "Come Swankit, the elders want to meet you."

Swankit shook her head stubbornly. "I don't want to," she responded. "They have Troutkit with them already."

"But they know Stormheart had two kits," Speckleleaf pressed lightly. "Besides you are a special kit and they love meeting new kits." The medicine cat turned away slightly, shooting Swankit a gentle smile. "Besides they'll understand your condition."

Swankit got to her paws and gave Speckleleaf a confused look. "What condition?"

Speckleleaf paused one paw in the air and looked back at Swankit, ears pricked in surprise. "Stormheart hasn't told you yet?"

Swankit bounded up to him. "Told me what?"

Speckleleaf let out a sigh and put his paw down. He lowered his head and gave Swankit a gentle nuzzle. "I'm sure she'll tell you soon," he meowed quietly, making sure his muzzle was close to her ear. Pulling away he continued to head towards a bush at the edge of the clearing. "Let's meet the elders!"

Swankit followed him, trying not to complain about seeing the elders though when she stepped in, she spotted Troutkit sitting in front of a pure black tom. Troutkit's ears were pricked and he was completely still for once.

_Why?_ Swankit had no idea but she could tell that the tom's mouth was moving.

_What he was saying?_ Swankit also had no clue.

"Blackpelt," Speckleleaf interrupted. "I'm sorry to interrupt your story but Troutkit's sister, Swankit is here."

The black tom looked up and at Swankit, fixing her with a friendly green gaze. He looked at the other nests beside him and Swankit's eyes widened when she realized that they contained cats. There was a dusty brown tom with light black stripes and amber eyes. A she-cat was curled up lovingly next to him and when she lifted her head, Swankit spotted green eyes shining from a light gray tabby pelt. Then there was another tom with torn ears and a heavily scarred muzzle that stood out against his silvery white tabby pelt and one of his blue eyes was clouded over with a scar over that eye.

"What do you think," Blackpelt asked them. "Do you think we can handle another noisy kit?"

The she-cat sat up and let out an amused purr. "Of course!"

Swankit smiled slightly, happy that she could hear them speaking, though when she glanced up at Speckleleaf, he seemed pleased with the elders' cooperation. The medicine cat, sensing that Swankit was watching him, bent down and whispered into Swankit's ear. "You'll be fine, Swankit. Have fun with the elders and Troutkit, ok? I need to speak to your mother." With that said, the medicine cat straightened up and turned away, leaving Swankit alone with the elders and her brother.

"So, Swankit, Troutkit here was just listening to a story about our leader." Blackpelt meowed, shifting slightly in his nest so he can get more comfortable. "Do you want to hear it too?"

Swankit pricked her ears slightly and bounded over to sit next to her brother. "Yes!" She knew who Plumstar was and knew that he was a nice and kind leader. She had seen Plumstar around when she was out playing in the clearing and remembered that he was a well-muscled smoky gray tom with green eyes and white paws.

Blackpelt let out a small chuckle before speaking again. "As I was saying, Plumstar was about to climb the biggest tree in the territory as a result of a dare. A dare from his own sister, actually. A dare that will teach him to leave tree climbing to the cats who actually like it. So he climbed this tree, a tree that is still around today. It's known as the Great Oak. Though before he got very far he startled a squirrel which started chittering angrily at him, almost as if he was being lectured. This surprised Plumstar so he let go of the tree and collapsed to the ground. Thankfully he didn't fall that far or else he wouldn't be our leader today since a broken leg could've prevented his warrior career or a fall from a big height could have caused instant death."

"Blackpelt!" Rainpelt hissed, padding over to the black tom. "You can't speak of death around the kits!"

Blackpelt snorted slightly. "I sure can! They have to learn about StarClan at some point."

"But surely not now," Rainpelt argued.

Troutkit nudged Swankit slightly and whispered in her ear. "Let's sneak out while we still can and play warriors in the clearing."

Swankit nodded and followed her brother out into the clearing, her tail flicking excitedly behind her. It wasn't long before Troutkit had declared himself Troutstar, leader of ThunderClan. Swankit sat down and looked around her, noting the activities of the Clan once again. Plus the buzzing was beginning to return to her ears again and it was beginning to annoy Swankit.

"Swankit!" Troutkit's shout made the she-kit look over to see her brother staring at her expectantly and somewhat impatiently. "I asked you a question."

Swankit blinked a few times before tilting her head slightly. "What was it?" she asked, her mew a bit strange and quiet to her ears.

"What's your Clan?" Troutkit looked a bit annoyed, which led Swankit to believe that she had either zoned out or wasn't paying enough attention.

"Uh…" Swankit gazed at her paws briefly. "Swanstar of SwanClan!"

"SwanClan isn't a Clan, silly!" Troutkit responded, a smile appearing on his face. "You have to choose either RiverClan, ShadowClan or WindClan!"

"Why?" Swankit asked with a tilt of her head.

"It's how the game works!" Troutkit responded, his tail flicking.

"Doesn't SwanClan work though?"

"No, it doesn't!"

"But it's a Clan isn't it?"

Troutkit let out a sigh and sat down, looking defeated. His pelt was bristling, and he was muttering something under his breath.

Swankit got to her paws and padded over to her brother, placing a paw on his shoulder. "Troutkit? Are you alright?"

"No!" Troutkit shouted, leaping away from her and digging his tiny claws into the ground, ears flattening against his head. "It's hard dealing with you sometimes."

"Why?"

"Because you aren't normal!" Troutkit responded, whipping around to face her. "Why mother hasn't told you yet, I don't know! If she doesn't tell you soon, _I_ will!"

"Tell me what?" Swankit asked with a tilt of her head, not understanding her brother's anger. Yet, for some reason, his words cut deep, and she couldn't help but glance at her paws.

Troutkit sat down, gazing at his paws. "Ask mother," he responded, a bit quieter than Swankit would've liked.

"Ok!" Swankit chirped, turning and racing over to the nursery. If Troukit said Stormheart knew and would answer her questions, then why not ask her? "Stormheart!" she squealed as she neared the nursery, pausing only slightly before racing inside.


End file.
